The Mentalist 6x06 Tag (Fire and Brimstone)
by Jaskett4Eva
Summary: Recollections of what happens between Jane & Lisbon after the explosion in Malibu. Jane his down and badly injured. A discussion on the events on the beach and how Jane is dealing with the consequences of his acts. "I'm sorry Lisbon…for leaving you there" he said his voice racked from the smoke. "I guess you had it coming" Lisbon said. ENJOY xD
1. Chapter 1

**The Mentalist Tag 6x06 (Fire and Brimstone)**

She didn't know how long she had been unconscious from the explosion, but an old wound on her left arm woke her up with hurt.

She watched Jane's old Malibu house burn up in flames as anger was flashing through her now dark green emerald eyes.

Once, again she was too late. She had always promised herself in her most foolish nights-lightly put in the comfort of her bed- that when Jane would make his final stand against Red John, she would be the "one" to save him.

_I wanna be there when you reveal Red John_, she said

_Ok_, he replied

She also told Jane that Red John deserved what was coming to him and she would not stop him from doing what he was about to do.

Her worst fatal error.

How could she have been so stupid? Of course he would immediately call up on her lie. She had pushed the envelope too far and the result had been worse than she could ever expect; Jane had left her on the beach after dropping the bomb on her.

_You have no idea what you meant, to me_.

And then he added, _what you "mean" to me_.

She should have seen the telltale signs coming. One does not use the past tense unless they are planning on not seeing you again.

It was almost as if his words sounded like good-bye, a mistake her realized seconds too late. But up until now, she was still too blinded by her feelings for him to see it.

_Oh, I almost forget I have a surprise for you_, he said.

She had walked head first into his trap like a pray immersing into his predator's lair. In the depts of her darkest desire, she even allowed herself to believe her would ask her to marry him.

After, Grace and Rigsby's recent engagement she couldn't help but wash away this gridlock fantasy out of her head.

And then the fairy-tale had come to an end. When she heard the engine of his old Citroën start with a bang, realization hit her.

He was leaving her there, the bastard.

What she thought to be a significant declaration of love from Jane, was after all just a ruse, a "distraction" in which he used her own feelings against her to get away with murder.

Standing still on the ground and unable to move, she remembered when he had put his arms open to full her in one of the longest and tightest embrace they ever shared.

She remembered how the sunlight skimmed an orange gleam over their features during the sunset.

She had so wished his long arms would never leave her small frame, shaking from this endless gesture of affection.

She also wished the warmth of his body would never leave hers, but her most desired wishes of all was that he would have kissed her for once and for all.

But he didn't.

Their first reciprocated hug and he had betrayed her. What she thought would be the most romantic proposal turned into a disaster.

When it came to Red John, she always knew she would be second best, but she never enticed that he would stoop so low, especially after everything she had done for him.

_I want to thank you for everything you've done_, he had said it himself.

Even after he left her on a deserted beach with nothing but her gun and badge, a part of her wished him no arm.

The worst of it all, she had no idea if Jane was still alive. After years, of trying to protect him from Red John, she had probably failed to the hardest task; to save him from himself.

His words echoed in her ears with the remaining headache she probably got from the explosion. When she though she lost all once of hope for him, she heard the voices again only too vivid for her to be thinking out loud.

Her cop instinct immediately kicked in and then the voices came more perceptibly.

She took her flashlight and penetrated the burned house with precautions, looking around for any survivor.

"Lisbon" someone said

When she finally got closer to the flames, trying to shield herself from the hot burning draft of air, she saw Jane was lying on the remaining ashes of his house, surrounded by large wooden beams.

He seemed to be agitated or in pain, until she saw one of the beams was tucking his right leg. Fortunately, she had called for back-up a long time ago. She could hear the sirens arriving from afar.

"Jane" she shouted as she scooted next to him happy that he was alive

"it's going to be alright" Lisbon told him trying to reassure them both

She was almost at the point of tearing and she tried to stop her voice from cracking up.

"Red John…" Jane mumbled "he got away" he added

Lisbon wanted to say something, wanted to say that she was sorry his plan had _literally_ blow up. But she was more concerned about his safety right now to focus on Red John's escape.

She almost thanked God, he had fell unconscious in the process. The pain was probably too unbearable for any sane person, even a strong mind like Jane, to handle.

"I need help, right here" she shouted almost ecstatic

The paramedics made sure to free his clustered leg before putting him on the stretch. In no time he was being lifted in the air, ready for ER.

"what happened ?" one of the paramedics asked

"it's Patrick Jane you don't ask" the other said giving Lisbon a sympathetic smile

Lisbon was too much in shock to notice one of them was the same paramedic that rescued Jane from beings drowned two years ago when he had a dissociative fugue.

"I'm coming" Lisbon said

She wanted to get into the vehicle with Jane. There was no way she would let him do the trip alone. Her hand never left him in hopes he would wake up and found she wasn't there.

After a while she felt a small pressure on her intertwine hand. Jane's eyes were half-open and he gave her a look filed with what looked like hurt, grief and yes culpability.

He finally spoke again and the words were almost too painful for her to endure.

"I'm sorry Lisbon…for leaving you there" he said his voice racked from the smoke

"I guess you had it coming" Lisbon said

She almost used the very same words Jane had said when Lorelai Martins was killed.

"dark humour I like that" Jane said almost giggling

"how's your leg ?" she asked

"she won't tell me" he puffed his cheeks now red

Lisbon supressed a genuine laugh. Better a happy Jane on drugs than a sad Jane sober, she thought.

"yeah I think you need to rest" she said turning her head away

"no, what I need is to hunt down Red John" Jane said

"Jane" Lisbon shouted "you're injured you can't even walk"

"I don't need to walk… I just need you" Jane pointed out "call it leg-work" he joked

"Jane you just took five people from the law enforcement as hostages and held them at gunpoint, three of which are dead" she was now shouting

"I never intended to kill anyone, but Red John did"

"even if that's true, how would he have known when and where to put the bomb ?" she asked

"Red John must have planned this a long time ago, he must have known about my plan" Jane pointed out

"you think someone spied on us" Lisbon said

"precisely, that's why I insisted on a last minute destination I wanted to be sure of Red John's connections"

"I also learned that three of my suspects have the same tattoo on their shoulder" Jane said

"what ?" Lisbon asked

"Bertram, Reed and McAllister but now one of them is dead so that leaves us with only two suspects, Red John can't get away anymore he's trapped like a fish" Jane said with enthusiasm

The ambulance was parking in the hospital and Lisbon's hand left his, but he caught her wrist.

"what I said on the beach earlier, I meant _every_ word of it" Jane said trying to sound serious

His head was light form the drugs and he had to use biofeedback.

"except for the part where you steal my phone and leave me on the road" she said sarcastically

"first it was on the beach and second I never _steal_ I merely borrow" he said with a teasing eye

Lisbon realized, Jane was still on drugs and that he probably wasn't fully himself. Nonetheless, she hoped he spoke the truth.

For now they would be okay, until the next best disaster.

_**Author's note : I know I deviated a little but after such powerful episodes, I get so inspired hehe :P Also I read a LOT of fanfiction stories of 6x06, so I tried not to be repetitive and be original. Hope you liked it xD please don't hesitate to comment, I always love to read your beautiful comments ! see you all for the next episode if I survive until then ^^just kidding ;))**_


	2. Chapter 2 - Let Me Go

**The Mentalist Tag (Fire and Brimstone)**

Chapter 2 - Let Me Go

After he recovered from the explosion at his Malibu house, Jane got away of the Sacramento H.G as quickly as he could. He knew that once the effects of the drug would fade, he wouldn't be able to face his co-workers, and most importantly his own partner-Teresa Lisbon.

The cold of winter drove chilling spasm through Patrick Jane's body. Usually he was able to use biofeedback in those situations, but now he clearly failed.

He was waiting at a bus station in the middle of the night. His old rusty Citroen had broken down a couple hours ago in the middle of the road and no one-not even his colleagues at the CBI answered any of his calls.

The bus was supposed to arrive half an hour ago, but no headlight was visible in the midst of the breezy night.

Jane rubbed his hands together tightly in hope to reactivate the blood circling into his veins-he was wearing his usual three piece suit with no coat.

All he wanted to do was go after his "new" Red John lead ; the man wasn't anyone from the list but they were merely informers to their master.

He went back to his old habits and kept this little nocturne adventure to himself. Last time he told Lisbon about his _plan_, he had no choice but to leave her on a little beach he had discover only a few days earlier.

He noted the irony since he was the one stuck on a road without any firearm to protect himself and no one to know where he was.

_What goes around comes around_, he though.

He could always find some cheap motel room nearby, where he could remain unnoticed, but he doubted that would be the best idea.

He would have gone to his old Malibu house if it wouldn't have catch on fire by the hands of Red John.

_He has his theories about Red John's diversion_, something he also decided to keep to himself.

That's where he had found the "fatal clue" taking him closer to his nemesis. Somewhere deep beneath the remaining ashes of his beloved house, he had found a _single_ piece of evidence, yet crucial.

When he had almost lost all once of hope, he heard his cellphone beeped- it was Lisbon.

"where are you ?" Lisbon almost shouted "I've been trying to call you for half an hour"

"I don't know somewhere between the Lost Island and ghost city" Jane retorted

He really didn't want her to know about his destination

"very funny, but I know you're still in Sacramento" Lisbon said

Jane heard the sound of the wheels scratching and the noise of a horn

"are you driving ?" Jane asked concerned

"yes" she said "tell me exactly where you are and I'll come pick you up" Lisbon commended

"I'm sorry Lisbon but I have to run an errand I'll call you back tomorrow" he said

"J-A-N-E" Lisbon said but he hung up on her

Xxxxxxx

Jane knew Lisbon had bugged his phone and she was mainly trying to gain time by talking to him and that is the reason he didn't answer her.

_At least she had learn a few tricks from over the year_, he though, not that it would ever work with him.

Actually the first person he'd called was Cho mainly because he knew the Asian man wouldn't ask questions.

So he broke his phone and tossed it into the nearest ditch. The bust finally arrived and at the very same moment Lisbon's car stopped from the other side of the road.

_The headlight almost dazzled Jane's view_.

All she could do was run and try to stop Jane as he gave her one last look from bus door, but unfortunately it was too late.

"I'm sorry Teresa" Jane whispered

_She was only miles apart, but yet still too far to hear him_.

"dammit Jane" Lisbon said as she watched the bus go away

She saw Jane's face never leaving hers form the frosty window. She knew that she would picture this moment in her memory palace.

Since Jane had confessed to her about this unusual collection of "happy" moments, she decided to make one on her own, even though this was a very sad moment, nonetheless it mattered to her.

At least, she could still follow the bus and watch for whenever Jane would be drop out. She tried in vain to start the engine, but the muffled sound indicated her car didn't have any power.

She checked the weather gauge with her cellphone, it was almost six below zero- no wonder her car didn't want to start.

She immediately called for a towing, which at least was covered by her work assurance fees, but she could forget any chance of finding back Patrick Jane any time soon.

She cursed herself to not have noticed the bus's number; she could at least figure out where he went.

Xxxxxx

Fortunately, Lisbon had found a little tourist section a couple blocks away from the road. With the hour of the bus and the station she might have been able to find Jane after all.

"agent Lisbon from CBI" Lisbon said showing her badge "you need to tell me every bus that passed within the last hour and their destination" Lisbon said in a rush

"whoa, lady I'm sorry but we're almost closed come back tomorrow will you ?" the men said with arrogance and a mingle of Italian accent

"I'm sorry but this is a matter of crisis" Lisbon said lowering her voice "and if you don't cooperate with the justice you can be sanctioned by the law" Lisbon threatened

"okay okay, lady you have balls I like that" the man said in fear "but I'm sorry there is no bus that passed at dock 17 within the last hour" he added

"that's impossible, I saw it" Lisbon said confused and clueless

The man with the Italian accent finally replied

"actually there is a bus that went on dock 17 and hour and a half ago" the man said "I just received a report saying that the bus was late"

"where did it went ?" Lisbon asked enthusiastic

"bus 25, going to Napa Center" the man said but Lisbon was already gone

"don't you need to know when the next bus is ?" the man shouted

"no, I'll drive thank you sir" Lisbon shouted back

xxxxxx

A couple hours ago, Jane had left Sacramento and decided to cash in for the night at a little Napa restaurant. He was looking for two of his gateway suspects-Reed Smith and Bertram- in order to squeeze out some information about Red John.

Cho had tipped him off about _them _and apparently they had run away together which would make the task easier for Jane.

"anything I can get you sweetheart ?" a blonde waitress asked Jane

"a cup of tea please and how are the eggs ?" Jane asked trying to stay polite

"fantastic" the waitress replied "you want some ?" she asked with a teasing tone

_When he looked bitter and lonely, women would flirt with him even more_.

At first it was flattering but it had come to bother him over the years.

"yes, please" he said trying to stay polite

_When he saw a very familiar feature get out of the car in front of the restaurant he knew he had to run away, he couldn't face her_.

"actually, cancel this order I need to go someplace" Jane said

"waiting for someone ?" the waitress said lifting an eyebrow

"yes" he lied "too bad" she retorted

Jane knew he couldn't escape through the front door she he asked for the waitress where were the men's room. She had helped him clueless about his plan-which wasn't really hard, she was already hypnotized by his charms.

Like he expected, there was a small window thought which he escaped.

When she got into the restaurant, Lisbon looked around her but Jane was nowhere to be found.

"excuse me ma'am but have you seen this man ?" Lisbon asked showing the only picture she had of Jane to the waitress

"oh sure, a sweet guy and gentleman like him you don't forget that around here" the lady said

_Great another Jane's groupie_, Lisbon though.

"do you know where he is ?" Lisbon asked

"yeah, he went to the man's room couple minutes ago" she said

"thank you"

Lisbon knew there was something out of place but it was her best chance at finding him. She waited in front of the bathrooms when she finally decided to take a peek inside.

When she opened the door, he worst expectations had come to life. The window was wide open and Jane was nowhere to be found.

She rushed out of the restaurant as quickly as she could and caught him right before he could enter what seemed like a rental car.

Jane would have got away but Lisbon used his worst weaknesses against him, like he had done with her- she pointed her gun toward him.

"what are you going to do shoot me Lisbon" Jane said

"if I have too" she said

"we both know that's not true" Jane said

"try me" Lisbon said

"please Lisbon I know you're upset but get inside the car please will you" he said

Lisbon tried to process the situation but the cold didn't help he think clearly, but she finally decided to lower her gun.

"thank you" Jane said "get inside the car we have to talk" he said

Xxxxxx

"I knew you would find me" he said almost in defense

"yeah, sure" Lisbon said sarcastically "that's why you escaped from that restaurant through the window like a sly and that's why I had to run and save your sorry ass from the explosion" she added

"I would have been fine the paramedics took me in" Jane said

"because I called them" Lisbon said offended

"but I wasn't escaping, I was trying to protect you" Jane said like it was some king of evident truth

"no you escaped too times from me because you only want Red John for yourself" Lisbon said

There was an awkward pause before Jane spoke again. She could see the cold in his eyes matching the weather in perfect symbiosis, but his body was leaving traces of warmth all over her.

"my life stopped mattering ten years ago when Red John killed my family" he said

_It matters to me_, Lisbon secretly wanted to scream out lout, but she didn't have too because Jane say the answer deep hidden beneath her eyes.

_He always knew how she felt for him, but he never had the courage to act upon it_. He knew he deserved all the hate.

"but I do realize how it matters to **some** people" he said looking at her

He knew he had to say those words, to prevent what they had to shatter on the ground like a statue made of ice.

"you left Jane, you said nice words to me, than you left" Lisbon said "and the worst part is I don't even know if you meant it or what you meant by it" she said

Jane knew she was talking about that day on the beach, which made him stiffen on his seat.

Lisbon felt like she was going back two years ago when she had asked him what he meant when he said he "loved" her.

"here we go again always going back to that" Jane said in defense

"yes because you always lie to me" she shot back

"not always" he said

"you were drugged it didn't count" Lisbon said

_Of course you matter to me Lisbon, of course_, he wanted to say.

"then I guess you have your answer" he shot back

Jane knew he had broken Lisbon's heart once again and it pained him for more than he could say, but he had too if he wanted to win.

He knew he had to say something more or she would be the one to leave him on the road now-and with reason, but he was a coward.

_**Author's note: I know the ending was very harsh, but what you want I can't change the characters and stop Jane from being Jane or Lisbon from being faithful to him. But I promise in the last chapter you will have a "happy" ending. Next chapter leads right before the 6x07 promo and I will publish the rests every week until the catch of Red John is over. SO STAY STUNED FOR A FOLLOWING CHAPTER OF THIS FANFICTION hehe lol xD don't forget to comment ;))**_


End file.
